Shipping and Unrolling

Your ketubah ships rolled up in a tube with a piece of newsprint around it to help it to roll and to protect it. When you open the tube and see crumpled paper, don't panic! That's the way it's supposed to look - it cushions the edges.  When you take it out of the tube, put it face down on a clean surface and weigh it down with a book or two. Leave it that way for a couple of days to let the paper relax and flatten.

Displaying Your Ketubah at Your Wedding

Your ketubah is stiff enough that it will stand up on its own, so you can just put it on an easel at your wedding. Many venues have easels on hand for display, some of which are for table top use, others are freestanding. Ask your venue what they have.

If you want to give it a bit of extra protection, you can buy one of our Ketubah Display Kits and a piece of foam core available at craft stores* (or office supply stores where it might be a bit more expensive). Get foam core that's at least one inch wider on all sides than your ketubah. Attach the ketubah to the foam core with the scrapbooking photo corners from the kit.  Line the ketubah up on the foam core so that it is level and leave it on top of the foam core. One by one, peel the corners off the backing paper, slip over the corner of the ketuba, then stick it down to the foam core. Put the mounted ketubah into the clear bag provided with the front on the side with the flap. Fold the flap over the back (we recommend against removing the cover on the sticky strip and sealing the bag until after your witnesses have signed). The foam core prevents the ketubah from getting bent and the plastic prevents it from any accidental drips, sneezes, or spills (or rain).

*Foam core is not included in the display kit because shipping is about six times the price of the foam core itself. It is much more cost effective to buy it locally.

Signing Your Ketubah

Make sure that your witnesses, and anyone else signing or handling the ketubah outside of the bag should have clean and dry hands. Dry is even more important than clean - wet hands can cause the ink to bleed.

You can sign the ketubah with any ballpoint pen, though gel pens will have better ink flow on this paper. Black pen is recommended. Test the pen beforehand to make sure it doesn’t leak, and do not press too hard. You may want to have anyone signing practice – it may have been a while since they last had to write in legibly by hand, or in Hebrew.

Feeding Your Ketubah

Feeding your ketubah is quite simple: don’t do it. Do not bring food near it, do not bring liquid near it. Do not let it photosynthesize, either.

Framing and Preservation

Your ketubah does not come framed or matted. Basic matting and framing can be done at your local framing shop.

To ensure that the artwork does not fade, hang it in a place that does not receive much direct sunlight. (We weren't kidding about the "do not let it photosynthesize.") If you are unsure about the light that your ketubah is getting, ask your framer about getting UV protective glass.

Moisture can damage your ketubah, so hang it in a place that is not overly humid. (Hint: the bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry room are all places not to hang your ketubah.)